For most people, VDay stands for Valentine's. But at the Bronson Centre recently, VDay also stood for something else: victory and vaginas.
Those V-words are the rallying call of the women of the Vagina Monologues’ cast. They are also the motto of the global activist initiative, VDay, which was created to stop violence against women and girls.
“People don't want to talk about sexual assault,” says Jamie Kwong, the funding co-ordinator for the Sexual Assault Support Centre and member of the planning committee.
“This show helps to break the taboos.”
The performance of the Vagina Monologues this year also kicks-off a new year-long campaign just announced by the global VDay organization, called One Billion Rising, for VDay’s 15th anniversary.
This event, which will take place all around the world on Feb. 14, 2013, invites women and men to join together in an act of solidarity to support the many women around the world who have experienced gender-based violence.
According to Eve Ensler, VDay founder, the goal is to have one billion people “dancing, striking, rising” across borders to show they demand an end to gender-based violence.
One billion is based upon a United Nations statistics from its Unite to End Violence Against Women Campaign that says one in three women will be beaten or raped in their lifetime.
“One Billion Rising is about forming a coalition and making people aware of violence against women,” says Kwong.
"It's not only a local issue, it's a global issue; it’s more than just a small group of people.”
The local VDay organization is not only about raising awareness of the violence happening both in Ottawa and around the world, but also raising money for local support centres.
The Vagina Monologues play, created by Ensler, a Tony award-winning playwright, is performed annually by a cast of volunteers raising money for the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa and the Minwaashin Lodge Aboriginal Women’s Support Centre.
These centres help support women and children who have been victimized or assaulted. Ten per cent of the funds also went to the 2012 VDay spotlight campaign, Women and Girls of Haiti.
“It’s such a positive energy,” says Elizabeth Robson Gordon, one of the Vagina Monologues actors.
“There’s a feeling that it’s so much bigger than just this, that you’re helping people have a better understanding and compassion for these issues.”
Ron Couchman, the co-ordinator of I Can MANifest Change organization, says men are also getting more involved with movements to end violence.
"It's about repacking the message in a way related to men and creating a comfortable space to challenge their views,” he says.
He addes that events such as the Vagina Monologues help challenge gender stereotypes by making activism enjoyable and humorous for men.
“Events like these allow for men to not always be construed as the perpetrators, and not only to have to deal with the negative aspects, but get involved in a positive way,” says Couchman.
One example of this was the men’s bake sale in a room off of the main theatre at the Bronson Centre, for the audience to visit during the intermission.
The treats, included a batch of cookies made by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson to raise money for the Sexual Assault Centre.
"There's so many people working together to stop violence," says Stephanie Monette, another one of the actresses in the show. “Hopefully, one day, V-Day won't have to happen."